


Making Progress

by Meatball42



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bechdel Test Pass, Cyborgs, Extra Treat, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Medical Procedures, Medical Trauma, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Triple Drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-14 19:00:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20605733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meatball42/pseuds/Meatball42
Summary: Life isn't over after the final Snap, and there is still healing to be done.





	Making Progress

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LearnedFoot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LearnedFoot/gifts).

> I'm sorry this isn't very shippy at all! I tried to imagine what the beginning and development of a relationship for these two would look like, and it turns out that it's a very, very long road. So, here's step 0.

After Thanos’s final defeat, Shuri treated many who had been injured in the battle, Wakandan and outsider alike. One of the last was an alien who called herself Nebula and glared at Shuri when she told her to sit on the diagnostic table.

Disrespected, Shuri scanned Nebula’s injured leg in silence. Nebula was ignoring her, eyes closed and chin in the air, so Shuri ignored her as well. She took note of the damaged circuits in Nebula’s knee and what materials she would need to fix them.

When her jacket brushed Nebula’s arm, the alien flinched. Shuri wouldn’t have thought anything of it, except that her tablet also registered a spike of electricity and adrenaline. She took a second look at Nebula’s clenched fists, her tense posture, her face angled away from Shuri.

“Are you in pain?’ she checked.

“No. Just get it over with!” Nebula snapped.

More adrenaline. Pulse speeding up.

Shuri remembered other patients and reconsidered.

“Would it help if I explain what I’m doing while I—”

“No!”

Shuri reminded herself that she was above petty arguments. She held back her own temper and fixed the circuit as quickly as possible. “There.”

Nebula opened her eyes and inspected the site quickly. “That… didn’t hurt.”

“Of course not!” Shuri tried not to feel insulted.

With big, round black eyes, the cyborg stared at her curiously. “Thank you,” she said.

It sounded like she wasn’t used to saying that. Or maybe just, not speaking in anger.

“I… apologize.”

Shuri was almost amused. “_That _ sounded like it hurt,” she joked, before she could think it through.

Nebula nodded, serious. “I am… practicing.”

“Well, as long as you are making progress," Shuri laughed.

Unthinking, she reached out to pat the alien’s arm, and when Nebula only smiled slightly, she left it there.


End file.
